"At least we will be fed properly at Christmas": Preston food hub scheme that supported 900 people set to continue over winter

Almost 1,000 people have been helped by the Community Gateway's 'Purple Pantry', created for low income families battling with the price of their food shop during the pandemic.
The new food buying scheme has already helped near 1,000 in PrestonThe new food buying scheme has already helped near 1,000 in Preston
The new food buying scheme has already helped near 1,000 in Preston

And they have now decided to stay open to help those in need over the Christmas period.

The Preston-based housing landlord originally trialled their food shopping membership scheme in July for a period of seven weeks, to support the households struggling to afford their food shopping.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The pandemic had a direct impact on people's incomes, with many workplaces making them redundant or rendering them jobless and strapped for cash without a regular income.

A range of products are on offer and are sold through a points-based systemA range of products are on offer and are sold through a points-based system
A range of products are on offer and are sold through a points-based system

And the furlough scheme, that supported part-time and full-time employees up to a modest 80 per cent of their salary during lockdown, is set to be cut short next month, leaving more working parents and families in need of foodbank schemes.

Jackie Bird, Tenancy Support Manager, has been overseeing the Purple Pantry and has been 'amazed' at the response it has received.

She said: “The Purple Pantry is providing a vital service to our customers, many of whom are struggling financially. When a customer told us that visiting the Pantry meant her family went to bed with full tummies for the first time in months, we knew we were making a difference to people’s lives and had to continue.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Edward visits the Purple Pantry every week with his daughter Stacey, whose partner walked out on her just before Christmas last year, leaving her as a single mum with six children.

Individual food packages can also be made up to meet the requirements of different housholdsIndividual food packages can also be made up to meet the requirements of different housholds
Individual food packages can also be made up to meet the requirements of different housholds

He said: “Just a few weeks ago I received a letter off my gas company asking me why I hadn’t put any gas on my meter, however, since the Pantry has opened it has been a great help and I have been able to put more money on my gas and electric card.

"The Purple Pantry is really handy and is local to us, the food available is great quality and the people are very helpful. I visit the Pantry every week, I go for my mum who has been self-isolating for the last seven months and I visit with my daughter Stacey.

"It has been a great help for her as a single parent, especially with nappies, it has been absolutely brilliant. I was so happy to find out that it will stay open until the New Year, at least now we will have a good Christmas and will be fed properly.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It makes my day when I visit the Purple Pantry, the staff are so helpful and always cheer me up. It would be great if the Pantry could be expanded so everyone in Preston that is struggling could access it. I have been using the Pantry for the last two months, everyone in my area uses it. The Purple Pantry has helped us a lot.”

Edward’s daughter Stacey added: “The Purple Pantry has been a brilliant help to me and the ladies that work there are so polite and helpful. With six children, I have been struggling, but the Pantry has made it so much easier for me. It would be nice if there were more services like this available to those struggling.”

During their seven-week pilot of the scheme at the Moor Nook Community office, Langden Drive, 335 households had signed up to become members of the purple pantry - with many of their customers stuck with buying value items or facing difficulty affording their weekly food bill.

Open to all community gateway customers, the scheme is different from other foodbanks, with hundreds of items on offer to give visitors options to choose from.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Each item has a points value of between one and five, with households being given a range of points depending on their number of inhabitants. The membership cost starts at five pounds for 25 points, up to 60 points at an affordable £15.

And the blow of the pandemic has continued to cash strapped families, with research showing over four-fifths of people using a foodbank are from working households.

The Purple Pantry will remain open from 1pm until 4pm Monday to Friday. For further details, visit communitygatway.co.uk

Related topics:

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.